For the sixth year, Seattle's TeenTix, an arts access and engagement program for teenagers, has announced the nominees for its annual Teeny Awards. Like a Teen Choice Awards for local arts events and organizations, the Teeny Awards aim to empower teen arts audiences and to recognize those organizations that have done an especially good job of welcoming young people over the past year.

The Teeny Awards are awarded by The New Guard, TeenTix's arts leadership society, based on TeenTix member voting.

TeenTix director Holly Arsenault says, "This year, The New Guard wanted to shake up the categories a bit, and they came up with what I think is a brilliant plan -- they scrapped the traditional event categories (such as Best Play, Best Exhibit) altogether, and instead chose to give awards based on what matters to them when they decide to go experience art. The new categories reward work across genres and art forms that, for example, sparked civic dialogue, engaged topics related to young people, or offered a chance to experience a timeless work from the canon. I think the categories are surprising and illuminating and a perfect expression of what the Teeny Awards are supposed to do."

The Teeny Awards will be presented in a gala ceremony on Saturday, September 20th at EMP Museum (last year's winner for Favorite Organization). The ceremony will be hosted by Lindy West, and preceded by TeenTix's annual fundraising dinner. Tickets and information are available at www.teentix.org/TeenyAwards2014.

TeenTix members are invited to write in their vote for their favorite local artist. Nominee must be an artist who presented or performed a work at a TeenTix partner organization within the eligible time period. Top five vote-getters will be announced, and winner will be selected by The New Guard.

ABOUT TEENTIX - Founded by Seattle Center in 2004, TeenTix is an arts access and engagement program for teenagers. TeenTix is best known for making it possible for any teenager to buy a five-dollar, day-of-event ticket at 54 arts organizations throughout the Puget Sound region. TeenTix believes that arts participation is a crucial form of civic engagement, and therefore aims to empower young people to take an active role in shaping their arts community as audience members, influencers, patrons, leaders, and critics. Since 2004, TeenTix has served nearly 50,000 area youth. In 2013, TeenTix began a three-year transition from Seattle Center public program to independent organization.

TeenTix is the recipient of the 2014 Seattle Mayor's Arts Award in the Future Focus category. To learn more about TeenTix, visit www.teentix.org.